The game started crisply as both teams made their first four shots of the game. The score remained knotted well into the first half as a 25-25 score was the seventh tie of the match with seven minutes remaining. Notably for the Rangers, it was not the usual duo of Courtney Cunningham and Kraft that were leading the way. Maggie Marquis scored ten points in the first half while Stephanie Leondis had seven. The problem for Drew was the play of Shadae Swan. Swan had 15 in the first on 7-11 shooting. The Gophers as a team hit on 53% of their shots in the first to take a 40-32 lead into the break.
Whatever Drew’s new head coach Karin Harvey said at halftime, it worked. The Rangers came out of the break hot as they turned an eight point deficit into a ten point lead. Melissa Kraft hit a jumper, Genie Valantassis knocked down a three and Marquis followed with a triple of her own to tie the score at 40-40. Cunningham turned her steal into a trey before Valantassis fed Leondis and Cunningham for buckets. Finally, an Allison Hartnett three put the Rangers up 50-40. The Rangers hit their first seven shots of the half, six of them off of assists.
Swan scored eight points as the Gophers made a 10-3 run of their own to bring the score to 55-52. Valantassis hit a key three with 12 minutes remaining and Hartnett hit one of her own with eight minutes left to put the Ranger advantage at seven. Again, the Gophers fought back, this time getting to within two after Maura Fair’s free throw made it 66-64. With three minutes remaing, it was Kraft with the key three as she knocked down a long jumper to restore a five point lead. The Gophers would get no closer, though the final score flatters the Rangers a bit as there was not a 13 point difference between the teams tonight.
One of the keys to the game was the depth of contribution for the Rangers. Last season, if Courtney Cunningham or Melissa Kraft struggled, the Rangers had a slim chance for victory. Tonight, with neither of those two having a vintage performance, Stephanie Leondis’ double-double, key shooting from Genie Valantassis and Hartnett and the strong first half by Marquis helped the Rangers fight through a somewhat sluggish performance and grab the win.
The Rangers get back into action next week as they begin their Freedom Conference campaign at FDU.
Newspaper Box Score GOU vs Drew Rangers 11/21/06 6:30 pm at Drew University At Drew University DREW RANGERS 79, GOU 66 GOU (1-1) Shadae Swan 11-21 1-2 25; Francheska Guilfu 7-11 2-5 16; Amber Smith 3-9 2-4 8; Candra Scott 3-6 0-2 6; F. Newman-Blount 2-3 1-2 5; Maura Fair 0-3 4-4 4; Latisha McCray 1-1 0-0 2; Molly Oates 0-2 0-0 0; Kelly Wills 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-58 10-19 66. DREW RANGERS (2-0) Melissa Kraft 6-14 6-6 20; Courtney Cunningham 7-14 2-2 17; Maggie Marquis 5-7 1-2 13; Stephanie Leondis 4-8 2-5 10; Genie Valantassis 3-6 2-3 10; Allison Hartnett 2-4 1-2 7; JaQuelia Conley 1-3 0-2 2; Laura Methvin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-57 14-22 79. GOU........................... 40 26 - 66 Drew Rangers.................. 32 47 - 79 3-point goals-GOU 2-11 (Shadae Swan 2-6; Francheska Guilfu 0-2; Maura Fair 0-2; Kelly Wills 0-1), Drew Rangers 9-20 (Maggie Marquis 2-3; Allison Hartnett 2-3; Genie Valantassis 2-3; Melissa Kraft 2-7; Courtney Cunningham 1-4). Fouled out--GOU-None, Drew Rangers-None. Rebounds-GOU 45 (Candra Scott 9), Drew Rangers 32 (Stephanie Leondis 10). Assists-GOU 5 (Maura Fair 1; Latisha McCray 1; Candra Scott 1; Shadae Swan 1; Kelly Wills 1), Drew Rangers 12 (Courtney Cunningham 4). Total fouls-GOU 19, Drew Rangers 17. A-205